Not many business owners think about protecting their asphalt parking lots, but they should. If your asphalt parking lot is in need of repair, it may affect the business in a negative way. The parking lot is the first thing that a customer sees as they are visiting a business and first impressions mean a lot. Many customers prefer to avoid driving their vehicle in parking lots that are riddled with potholes because they don’t want to risk damage to their tires or wheel alignment.

Clean and Inspect Your Asphalt Parking Lot

We recommend that an asphalt parking lot be cleaned once a month. By removing the leaves and garbage, the asphalt will not become as damaged over time. We also recommend that fuel and oil stains get cleaned immediately. These stains can quickly deteriorate the asphalt pavement, which means that it would need to be replaced much sooner. Using a pressure washer is another way to remove any debris that may be stuck to the surface of the asphalt. Alternatively, you may consider hiring a street sweeper for regular cleaning.

Asphalt Crack Repair

Cracks in the surface will need to be filled as soon as possible so that water does not seep underneath the surface of the pavement. If a crack in the asphalt is not repaired quickly enough, the crack will continue to grow in size until it becomes alligator cracking, which looks like the skin of an alligator, thus the name. The cracks still continue to expand and take damage until they eventually turn into a pothole.

No one likes potholes and in actuality, the sooner they are repaired, the better. Once water seeps under the pavement, it expands and contracts due to the freeze-thaw process, which can make the potholes larger. There are four steps that we use to repair potholes. We clean the area, heat the area, add the new asphalt mix and cool the area.

Keep Storm Drains Clear

If there happens to be any standing water on the asphalt parking lot that occurs regularly, then there may be a drainage issue. Business owners should check out their parking lots after heavy rainstorms, because new drainage issues may arise over time.

Seal the Asphalt Regularly

Sealcoating an asphalt parking lot will actually protect the surface and adds a layer that will prevent damaging UV rays, vehicle fluids and water from seeping through the surface. The surface will look newer for an extended period of time as well.

The professional asphalt maintenance crews here at RAPCO Asphalt and Maintenance understand that you’re a busy business professional and rarely have time to sleep, let alone take care of your asphalt parking lot. We offer inspection and maintenance plans that will fit your budget and keep your parking lot clean and in good repair so your customers and prospective customers will feel more comfortable bringing their business to you. Give us a call at 847-299-1830 if you would like to discuss issues with your parking lot or the details of our asphalt maintenance plans.